Switchback

Chapter 4

"What are you doing here?"

From his perch on an exam table, Richard smiled at the round, surly man as he entered the small room. His tangled grey hair, white smock and bug eyes made him look like a mad scientist.

Jack Harvey had been Richard's physician since childhood and was still the man he saw before starting any contract. He was also family – his mother's brother.

"Just need a once over," Richard said.

Jack ambled across the room and set about inspecting some stainless steel instruments on a tray in the corner. "Why? You not feeling well?" he asked.

"Actually, I'm feeling pretty good."

"Then why do..." Jack stopped. His expression shifted to understanding and then a frown. "ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!" he shouted.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Jack threw his arms in the air and hit the tray. The contents fell to the floor in a hail of clatters and bangs.

"Wha..."

"Quit acting like a jerk!! You don't think I just figured out what's going on? Why lie about it?"

Richard smirked. "You asked me how I was doing and I told you."

"This is no way to treat your body!" Jack rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "It needs a chance to relax and get balanced before you shake the shit out of it again!"

"Which is why I'm here."

"Bullshit!" Jack spat. He moved to stand in front of Richard and leaned over until their noses almost touched. "All you want is my signature on a form so you can run off and make more money. Do you even care about your wife and kids?"

Richard took the comment in stride. "Why do you think I do what I do?"

"More lies!" Jack yelled. "Good Christ! Can I expect any honesty today? You know, if your old man was still alive he'd be mortified! His dream was to have a surgeon as a son. Not this. Part doctor and part whore!" He shoved a shaking hand into the pocket of his smock, pulled out a small bottle, popped the top and brought it to his lips. He shook two white capsules into his mouth, closed his eyes, swallowed, then took a deep breath. After a moment he offered the bottle to Richard.

Richard waved them away. "No thanks. I'm already calm."

"Suit yourself." Jack dropped the bottle back into his pocket. "But I need to take the edge off to get through this."

"You make it sound like something terrible."

"That's because it is! How many times do I have to warn you about the danger of switching bodies too often? As a REAL doctor it goes against everything I consider ethical to encourage that sort of behavior."

Richard took this as his cue. He hopped off the exam table, straightened his shirt and reached for his jacket. "I'll go see Phil Roberts then. Sorry for the trouble."

"No way!" Jack shook his head. "Not that fucking hack! He won't check you properly."

"Not many offices take a guy on such short notice."

Jack sighed and pointed at the table. Richard hopped back up.

"Don't think I'm not on to your game," Jack muttered. "Or that I condone even a speck of what you're doing?"

"Then why the change of heart?"

"Because I need to know this is done right. Makes for one less possible disaster on your quest to die for a buck."

Jack pulled open a drawer on the table. Inside was a small white plastic box. On the face was a switch, on the side a Hotwire and also a thick cable that ran to the back of the drawer. He took the Hotwire, plugged it into Richard's neck and flicked the switch.

Richard stiffened.

He watched his patient for a moment then crossed to a terminal on the other side of the room, punched a few buttons and the screen came alive. On it was an x-ray image of Richard's body.

"Please state name and function," Jack muttered.

"Richard Titus Sobel," Richard replied. His voice was monotone. "Locum Physician for the Human Identity Cross Over Process."

A number of points lit on the screen. Beside each was a small green bar. Not all were the same height and some fluctuated. Jack glanced at each, narrowing his eyes for some, scratching his temple for others. The one that captured his full attention was by Richard's brain. It moved the most, dipping so low that it would become red.

"Experiencing any headaches?" Jack asked.

"None."

"Nausea or light-headedness?"

"None."

This made Jack frown. He tapped some keys on the keyboard. The brain bar slowed its fluctuation. Richard twitched. He hit another key and it stopped. After that he did the same with the others. "When do you debrief?" he asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon."

Jack's frown shifted to a pinch of frustration. "Length of exchange?"

"Two months."

"Christ," Jack whispered. He rolled his eyes, pressed two red buttons on the keyboard and flicked the computer off.

Richard's body relaxed.

"Get out!" Jack barked as he unplugged the Hotwire.

"What...?" Richard asked. His tone was bleary. He blinked his eyes back into focus.

"I know you heard what I said. As soon as the system's off you're back. Now scram."

Richard jumped down from the table. "Are you actually that upset?"

"It's insulting you'd ask such a stupid question. I wish that old bastard Sands had never created this fucking Tech. Met him once you know – a few years before he died. Complete Looney Toon."

Richard shook hishead and crossed the room. He stopped at the door to stare at Jack. Then he